What follows below is a case study in how fake news is manufactured, amplified, and consumed in the age of social media with total impunity.
A fabricated story is created, shared, debated, and rapidly spread across platforms. Within hours, thousands engage with it, attracted by the scandal, outrage, and controversy it generates. In the process, reputations are damaged, public institutions are undermined, political leaders are vilified, and public trust is eroded. Then, as facts gradually emerge and expose the story as entirely false, those responsible quietly disappear from the conversation. There is no accountability, no apology, and no acknowledgment of the harm caused. At most, a post is deleted and the perpetrators move on. For a brief moment, they assume the roles of judge, jury, and executioner; when proven wrong, they simply walk away as though none of it ever mattered.
Five days ago, on 29th June, a self-proclaimed journalist, an account named ‘Asma’ , circulated a fabricated and engineered story on
#Threads, claiming that the
#PPP government had spent Rs. 80 billion on a
#zoo in
#Khairpur—my constituency—that did not even exist. Without presenting a shred of evidence, she brazenly used the claim as an opportunity to make derogatory remarks about the
#PakistanPeoplesParty (PPP), our leadership, and our
#Sindhi identity. Unsurprisingly, no proof accompanied the allegations because none existed.
The video was subsequently shared on X (formerly Twitter) by another account whose activity appears to be aligned with the
#PMLN. The misinformation was then amplified by the
#Instagram page
#DialoguePakistan and other social media accounts, some of which accompanied the false story with photographs of PPP Chairman
@BBhuttoZardari
alongside the so-called journalist.
The story was entirely false, defamatory, and clearly designed to target the
#PPP, its leadership snd Sindh Government.
In response, the
#MunicipalCommittee (MC)
#Khairpur issued an official press statement and lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (
#NCCIA).
Today, almost all of the accounts involved—most notably person who initiated the false narrative—have deleted their posts. While the damage caused by misinformation cannot always be fully undone, this outcome demonstrates the importance of challenging falsehoods with facts. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the
#PPP social media activists, especially the
#Khairpur team, whose tireless efforts over the past several days played a crucial role in exposing this fabrication. Through their persistence, dedication, and commitment to the truth, every major platform and individual involved in spreading this misinformation was compelled to remove the false content. Their work serves as a reminder that while lies may travel fast, determined and collective efforts can still ensure that the truth prevails.
However, while the posts may have been deleted, the damage caused to the party, its leadership, and public institutions cannot simply be undone. Falsehoods were spread widely, reputations were attacked, and public opinion was deliberately manipulated. The individuals responsible have chosen to quietly erase their posts, apparently out of fear of legal consequences rather than any genuine recognition of the harm they caused. An apology would be welcome, &I sincerely hope those involved have the decency to offer one. But the larger question remains: should those who knowingly concoct and disseminate fake news be allowed to escape accountability merely by deleting a post? The question then is how effective are the PECA laws in checking lethal misinformation. If fake news carries no consequences, then the cycle of fabrication, outrage, and deception will continue unchecked, to the detriment of our public discourse and democratic institutions. As a legislator I hope to pursue these questions in the parliament and in the committees in due course.
#FakeNewsAlert
